Outstanding Poets Commended at Taaleem Award Prize Giving

Dubai, 3 March 2018: Young poets were commended for their writing at the Taaleem Award for poetry prize giving ceremony held during the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. The winners received a commemorative book featuring their winning entries and a trophy, awarded to them by Emirati poet Maryam Mahyoh and Roger McGough, one of Britain’s most prolific and best-loved poets for both adults and children.

Open to students writing in both Arabic and English, the annual Taaleem Award has become an intrinsic part of the student calendar. This year’s theme for the competition was ‘Memories’, which proved to be a popular choice as more than a thousand entries of original poetry based on the theme were submitted in the four age categories – 11 and under, 12-14, 15-17 and 18-25 – making 2018 the competition’s most successful edition.

Taaleem’s CEO Ros Marshall, who was in attendance at the ceremony, was thrilled by the continued success of the competition. ‘We have seen an extraordinary response this year, and it is always a joy to meet and congratulate the winners. This competition is the highlight of the school year for us, but what makes it all that much more satisfying is knowing that the joint work of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Taaleem has provided students with a platform for authentic expression. The poems submitted are insightful and emotional pieces about the world as it is and how it could be. The participants and the winners should be immensely proud of what they have achieved, and we encourage them to keep writing and participating in this competition along with many others, so that their voices are always heard.’

The winners – Arabic language:

11 & Under Age Group

12 to 14 Age Group

1. Safa Moaied Kouri

2. Saeed Mohammad Saeed Al Suraidi

3. Fatma Faraj Hasan Al Ameiri

1. Dhaen Mohammad Abdullah al Muaini

2. Ibrahim Zaki Dar Nasir

3. Moudhi Souod Aziz

15 to 17 Age Group

1. Dajoud Rayahi

2. Shahad Mohammad Jamal Aldeen

3. Noor Abdulla

The winners – English language:

11 & Under Age Group

12 to 14 Age Group

4. Aditi Gandhi

5. Anna Sofie Vinter

6. Inaz Violet Humphrey

4. Tanvi Tiana Dhingra

5. Araisa Sayyed

6. Cianna Sarah Vipin

15 to 17 Age Group

18 to 25 Age Group

4. Farida Amr

5. Sylvia Elise Waft

6. Eyad Abdulazim

1. Ayesha Arif

2. Neeraja Rajkumar

3. Letitia Jiju

The 10th Emirates Airline Festival of Literature continues till 10 March with more sessions, panels and workshops for all age groups. Tickets can be purchased at the Festival website (tickets.emirateslitfest.com) or via the ELF Dubai app, available on the iOS and Google Play app stores and at Magrudy’s outlets around the UAE. Become a Foundation Friend loyalty member and enjoy benefits throughout the year, including priority booking and discounts on select Festival tickets, as well as exclusive discounts at several retail outlets in the UAE.